Linchpin

 ( Fasteners ) 

A linchpin, also spelled lynchpin, is a fastener used to prevent a wheel or other part from sliding off the axle upon which it is riding. The word is first attested in the late fourteenth century and derives from Middle English elements meaning "axletree pin". target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> linch-pin, n..OED Online. June 2014. Oxford University Press. (accessed December 21, 2024; original link now behind paywall). linchpin (n.). Online Etymology Dictionary. (accessed 1 June 2018).

Securing implements onto the three-point hitch of a tractor is an example of application. Linchpins may also be used in place of an R-clip for securing hitch pins.

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Metaphorical use The word linchpin is also used figuratively to mean 'something (or someone) that holds the various elements of a complicated structure together'. Another word to this effect is keystone.

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See also

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